Wagon-spring.



c. L. THOMAS.

PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

am 0 9 1 "m N .1 M m S m I N 0 N... G m M 6 I L P P A no MopnL.

B y TOR. I M WTE Q 4 I r WITNESSES.- 5

pertains to make and use the same.

1 side guides of an ordinary lumber-wagon with UNITED STATES PatentedApril 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L, THOMAS, or AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO w. s. SHULER.srRrNe COMPANY, OFAMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

WAGON-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I Application filed October 7,1902. i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that L-GHARLES L. THOMAS, re siding at Amsterdam, in thecounty of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in VVagon-Springs, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it ap- This invention relatesto springs for wagonsand other vehicles, more especially to springs adapted to be used withan ordinary lumber- Wagon to cushion a supplemental bolster upon thehounds or axles; and to this end the invention consists in the featuresof construction, combinations of elements, and arrange: ments of parts,which will be hereinafter more fully described and the novel featuresthereof specifically pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a view in perspective showingthe bolster and my improved supplemental bolster-springs for supportingthe wagon-body, which is shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a bottom planview of a supplemental bolster and spring-rigging therefor detached.Fig. 3 is a detail of a one-piece coil-spring, which is connecteddirectly to the bolster. Fig. 4 is a detail of a stirrup which rests onthe bolster, and Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the means forsecuring the bolster-spring to the supplemental bolster.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The bolster (indicated at 1) and the side guides or standards 2 are ofthe usual and wellknown construction. The wagon-body (shown in dottedlines at A) is supported from said bolster by the interposition ofsupplemental bol sters, which are adapted for vertical movement in orderto cushion the wagon-body by means of the spring-supports, as shown.Each supplemental bolster is composed of two spaced bars or beams3 3,which are connected by cross-pieces 4 l, extending across the uppersides of the beams. The ends of each supplemental bolster are supportedby springs Patent No. 757,578, dated Apri119, 1904.

seen No. 126,281. on model.)

made of a single rod or length of steel and comprising coils 5 5,located beneath the supplemental-bolster beams 3 and inwardly from theend thereof. From each coil an arm 6 extends beneath the beam toward theouter end by the cross-arm 8, which is substantially in the plane of theupper side of the supplemental bolster, as shown. From the other side ofthe coils 5 arms 9 9 extend outwardly and downwardly and are providedat'the end with eyes 10. These eyes are adapted to have a swinging fiton the outwardly-projecting arms 11 of stirrups 12, which are adapted torest upon the bolster 1, and they are held thereon by nuts 13. The archor bend of the stirrups 12 is such that the outwardly-projecting arms 11are brought well down below the upper edge of bolster 1 in order tosecure a maxiof the supplemental bolster, and at the outer .end they arebent up, as at 7, and connected mum amount of spring action for the arms9.

The arms 6 of the coil-springs are secured to the supplemental-bolsterbeams by eyebolts 14:, which pass up through the supplementalbolsterbeams and are secured at their upper ends, so that they may be readilyadjusted or removed, by suitable nuts 15, resting in coun 'tersinks onthe upper sides of the supplemental-bolster beams, as shown in sectionon Fig. 5. Upon inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that I havethus provided a construction wherein the supplemental bolster is free tomove downward without having its movement limited by contact with otherparts until the cross-pieces 4: contact with the upper edges of thebolster 1. The distance between the two coils 5 of each spring is suchthat the coils may pass down upon the sides of the bolster, thuspreventing contact therebetween. The connecting cross-arm 8 is bentupwardly, as described, to lie substantiallyin the plane of the upperedge of the supplemental bolster, so that it is out of the way and willnot limit the movement of the supplemental bolster before such movementis checked .by the cross-piece 4:. Moreover, inasmuch as the ends of thearms 9 are connected to the low-lying arms 11 of the stirrup whichstraddles the bolster these arms are allowed sufficient spring movementand at the same time are out of the path of movement of the other parts.

The advantages of this construction in providing for a maximum springaction of the supplemental bolsters and in providing a light yet strongspring-rigging will be clearly apparent from the description alreadygiven;

It is desirable to have a low-hanging body or body wherein the center ofgravity is brought as low as possible,while at the same time providing asufficient spring-support therefor. This is accomplished by myconstruction and arrangement of springs with relation to thesupplemental bolster such that the supplemental bolster may be depressedto the level of the bolster without having its motion interfered with bythe spring-support. A further advantage consists in the fact that thesupplemental bolster, with its spring-support, is an in detail ofconstruction will be readily'suggested which will not depart from thescope of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the class described, in combination with awagon-bolster, a body-supporting supplemental bolster, having spacedsupplemental-bolster beams 3, 3 and cross-bars 4, 4 connecting the upperside of said supplemental-bolster beams, stirrups 12 adapted to straddlethe wagon-bolster, and a one-piece coil-spring at each end of saidsupplemental bolster provided with coils 5, 5, arms 6 extending alongthe under side of said supplemental-bolster bars and suitably connectedthereto, the connecting part 8 between said arms being bent upwardly sothat it lies in substantially the plane of the upper side of saidsupplemental -bolster beams, and the spring-arms 9 extending downwardlyfrom said coils and pivotally supported from said stirrups.

2. In combination, a wagon-bolster, a stirrup supported thereon, anintegral spring engaging the ends of said stirrup and extending inwardlytherefrom, coils in said spring, a supplemental bolster, and anextension of said spring joining said coils and projecting outwardly andupwardly to engage the bottom and end of said supplemental bolster.

3. In combination, a bolster, a-stirrup'supported thereon, an integralspring secured to the ends of said stirrup and extending inwardly, coilsin said.spring, a supplemental bolster, a connection between said coilsengaging the bottom and end of said supplemental bolster, and an openingin said supplemental bolster adapted to permit the free action of thespring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES L. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

A. R. OoNoVER, BURTON FISHER.

